Andrew Sullivan reminds us today of something that is missing in all this talk of crosses in the dirt.

More below the fold!

The McCain campaign wants to use the POW thing as a positive thing.
Either McCain's POW experience made him unstable or he's been unstable all along. The American people need to know more about McCain before and after he was shot down in Viet Nam.

Like he lost 5 planes while flying in the Navy.

http://www.vietnamveteransagainstjoh...

It was only about three months ago that John McCain put out this earnest web ad, piously called "Tolerance," which commentators like Andrew Sullivan cited as evidence that McCain would say "Goodbye to All That" and run a non-Rovian campaign. I must confess I had similar hopes.  Today, Sullivan says he was wrong.  I was too. What a fool I was.

What makes Obama tick? This seems to be the most pressing question of the day because, as David Broder insists we "don't elect enigmas to the oval office."

The challenge is that Obama is unique in American politics. He's trying to pull off something that doesn't fit preexisting models, and all the political experts out there (of which there's no shortage), who take great pride in knowing "the rules" of politics, are determined to explain Obama in the facile language of an old paradigm. Now that his shine has worn a little thin, now that we've grown accustomed to the idea of this "new kind of politician" who seemed to come out of nowhere, the debate has devolved into overly simplistic dichotomies like whether or not Obama is centrist or Machiavellian. There's far too little appetite for actually trying to better understand the guy on his own terms.

Andrew Sullivan, the blogger over at The Atlantic Magazine, wrote a great synopsis of What he feels Obama has been doing the past week, that has so many "net-rooters" up in arms (go to body).

I posted a diary on Obama's response yesterday in Ohio, initially with out video. My comments (amongst others)at the time were:

We all know what Clark said was true. Many of us don't even know, Clark himself has earned over 30 medals, and was shot multiple times, saving members of his troupe (before he became a big time General Obviously). We also know John McCain is a bumbling, drinking, trolling, incompetent child of Military priviledge. And; Yes! The right guy said it, in General Clark! But Obama's trying to win an election, and Clark's message, though true was possibly ill-timed. That's all.".

http://www.dailykos.com/...

My post was followed up by Bob Sakamento's diary, "Obama to Gen. Clark: I got your back!"  (with video), that garnered over 700 responses yesterday. http://www.dailykos.com/...

Andrew Sullivan has a video clip on his site of a Fox reporter interviewing Obama.
It's really bizarre.

Here's the link

The journalist had 1minute and 52 seconds with the senator and she did 3 things:

1. She asked him to play a word association game.

2. She asked him who Chicago's first round draft pick will be.

3. She made him commit to playing basket ball with her.

I was just at Andrew Sullivan's site and he has a little blurb about a great new Heinz ad the American Family Association doesn't want you to see.  After surfing the various venues, the word "pressure" takes you to the AFA site where you can email Heinz a nasty complaint.  However, I changed my complaint to a letter of support.  I told them I will be purchasing their product and telling everyone I know to do the same.  I have a challenge to all fellow Kossacks after the break.

Today Andrew Sullivan talked about the melancholy anniversary of his HIV diagnosis. While his health is in good shape, his legal status in the U.S. -- because of his HIV status -- is most definitely not in good shape.

On Chris Mathew's show this am Andrew Sullivan said the decision had already been made that Pawlenty would be the Republican's VP choice. Below the fold are excerpts from a June 20th article in the Washington Post by Chris Cillizza on the Governor.

Firstread had implied that Pawlenty might be high on the list but Sullivan stated it as a fact on NBC this am. Maybe everyone here knows all about this guy.  I had hardly heard of him. I was also surprised it wasn't picked up. I tend not to think Andrew Sullivan makes things up, but let me know if this faith is misplaced.
Here is a link to the article in full

I am getting my information, and therefore am giving a shoutout to Democrats.com.

Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) read his Articles of Impeachment on Monday.
Robert Wexler (D-FL 19) co-sponsored on Tuesday.
Lynn Woolsey (D-CA 06) co-sponsored on Wednesday.
Barbara Lee (D-CA 09) co-sponsored today.

I like it!

In an article recently posted at The New Republic Bruce Bartlett discusses the rising tide of conservative support for the election of Barack Obama.  This support reflects the deep divisions within various segments of the American conservative movement that have has little play in the MSM or in discussion forums on the political left.  
What is becoming clear beyond my anecdotal discoveries is that there is a growing, almost viral discontent within the republican party and the conservative movement.

More below the fold.

Andrew Sullivan gave Dennis Prager the "Malkin Award"

Found this very revealing item on Andrew Sullivan's blog.

The source link is from a conservative website, and their mission evidently is to rebuild the conservative movement through community-driven grassroots websites. Essentially, they are trying to replicate what DailyKos has achieved, only for the right.  So when you read what they have to say, keep in mind that this is not from a hopeful liberal.  This is a CONSERVATIVE SPEAKING...

The conventional wisdom is that the Republican brand is ruined.  People are going to vote against anyone with an (R) next to their name.  But conservatives like to think that people in principle are in favor of their policies, that the bad acts of the Bush administration has tarnished their brand, but a return to their intellectual roots will bring the public back to the GOP in droves.

Earlier today, Al Giordano reported an amazing story from unnamed sources: that Hillary Clinton "went nuclear" with the Democratic Primary nominating process because Obama had privately rebuffed her as his Vice Presidential pick.

That argument from "secret sources" appears to have been brought into question by none other than Barack Obama himself.

According to Andrew Romano at Newsweek, Obama was asked if he'd consider a VP nom "even if his or her spouse is an occasional pain in the butt." Obama laughed and, echoing a London Times piece by Andrew Sullivan, responded:

Wow, this is getting rough.   Sullivan points out HRC's total contempt for the Democratic Party's primary process.

For over a long period of time now, I have been trying to put into words why I as a black man am not an Obama fan.  Finally, someone has done it for me.

Crossposted to my blog.

This is why Barack Obama matters.

In news that is eerily reminiscent of Obama's behind the scenes work to bring about reconciliation in the aftermath of Kenya's disputed election, Obama has now apparently gotten a rebel group in the Niger Delta to consider a ceasefire with the Nigerian federal government. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta sent out a statement:

"The MEND command is seriously considering a temporary ceasefire appeal by Senator Barack Obama. Obama is someone we respect and hold in high esteem. The period of halting attacks, we hope, when considered, will afford the Nigerian government the opportunity to address the issues with Henry Okah, including improving his living conditions and having access to a bible which he has requested for but was denied," they said.

I plan to move through this process by looking at the things that actually matter, not the distractions that the Republicans have no choice but to rely on.  The Republicans have no choice but to rely on those distractions because they have nothing else to offer us.  I think the voters of Indiana and North Carolina are what's important this week, not any speculation that Reverend Wright is going to grab a microphone and use it to try and knee-cap Obama.  With that said..